Extrinsic Souls II: Unmasking the Arcanum
by Aurora Marie Williams
Summary: Dani makes a startling discovery about Dash's past, specifically his father, when she is forced to overshadow him to save his life. Now she's caught in a web of intrigue as she tries to decipher more about his past. Meanwhile, Dash is coming dangerously close to uncovering Danielle's secret. Will their secrets bring them closer together or tear them apart? Sequel to Extrinsic Souls
1. Butterflies

**Author's Note: Hiya! And welcome to the sequel of Extrinsic Souls. This is focused on the Dani x Dash (or Danish, as I call it) pairing.**

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Danny Phantom. Danny Phantom is owned by Viacom International and Butch Hartman. Yes, this is a very disappointing Disclaimer. For those of you who read stories solely for the purpose of finding enjoyment from Disclaimers, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I promise these will be much more entertaining in the the future!**

**Claimer: (First of all, is that a real thing?) Second, I do own the plot line of this story, so if for some reason you want to borrow anything, storyline or original characters, send me a PM. Thanks!**

**(This is a really long author's note.) Any and all feedback is welcome. Seriously, if you totally hate something in this story, don't be afraid to tell me about it. I don't care if you flame the heck out of this. Be as critical as you want or don't want to be. I'm using this story to become a better writer, so let me know how I can improve myself. Use word hits! (i.e. PUNCH! SMACK! SLAM! KICK!) One of my favorite authors, ItTicklesLikeCrazy (and also the beta for this story) recommends using these. Because those are the bomb dot com.**

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><p><em><strong>Chapter One: Butterflies<strong>_

Studying himself in his mirror, Dash straightened his collar on his shirt... For the sixth time. He was nervous about the date – was it a date? – he'd asked Dani on. He had even studied for it. Actually did legitimate research online. He didn't even do that for school!

Albeit he didn't care that much about school (even though he knew he should), and he cared a great deal about this evening going well. He read online that girls were attracted to men wearing blue. Zero guesses as to who drove to JCPenny to buy a dress shirt that matched his ice blue eyes perfectly. Maybe with the magical, eye-catching blue Dani wouldn't find him _entirely _repulsive. He wasn't entirely sure why she was giving him the time of day in the first place...

In order to spruce up his appearance, he decided to stray from the normal back; he wore white trousers and shoes that matched his silk tie (that was finally tied after several failed attempts). The blonde leaned in closer to his mirror to examine how his hair was laying. He ran a shaky hand through the locks.

Contrary to popular belief, Dash lacked the confidence everyone saw in him. He could always punch his way out of every problem he ran into at school, but things were different at home. So one night a couple weeks ago when Dash got tired of hearing his mom scream at him in a drunken state about getting his grades up, he stormed out of the house, fists clenched, and went to the only place he knew refuge. The train station. It was the first destination Dash and his dad would go to when they were leaving for another country. Dash had loved those trips, even if it was solely for the purpose of his fathers job.

But now his father was gone. Disappeared as surely as a vanishing act. Only it wasn't a magic trick. This was real life.

Every time things got tough, Dash went to the train station. The bittersweet memories of his father cooled him down and restored something in him that he couldn't pin down exactly. What he hadn't expected to find at the train station was a girl, not much younger than him, pacing back in forth in an anxious manner. He had studied her curiously as she plopped down on a shiny cobalt blue bench and rested her chin on her hands.

Self-confidence may have eluded him other times, but at that moment Dash felt fearless. It may have been the undeniable effect that train station had on him, but Dash felt something else he hadn't felt before. Like an imaginary force pushing him to the girl. He'd sat down beside her, and the raven haired girl casually looked up. Her jaw dropped as she took him in. Before he lost his nerve, Dash spoke to her.

__"Hey," Dash said. "Are you new? I don't think I've seen you around before."__

__"Um, yeah, I am actually. Just moved here recently from Wisconsin." Her vivid blue eyes fluttered nervously as she glanced away.__

__"So you didn't live too far away from here then?" Dash gave her a small smile. "I'm Dash by the way." He extended a hand towards her.__

__The girl shook it, eyeing him cautiously and said, "Danielle."__

__Dash cocked his head. "Now that I think about it, you look really familiar. Are you sure you just moved here?"__

__"Well, I __do __look an awful lot like my brother, Danny."__

__"You mean, Danny __Fenton__?" That didn't make any sense!__

__"The one and only," she confirmed.__

__"I thought he only had one sister?"__

__"Well, the Fentons adopted me recently," she explained. "My parents were related to Maddie and Jack. Jack's sister. One day when they went out to the grocery store... they got into a crash. They didn't make it out, so Maddie and Jack took me in." There was a deep sadness in her voice.__

__"I'm sorry. My dad was always going on business trips to other countries. One time he never came back. Mom went a little crazy afterward, and she started drinking. She really doesn't even notice I'm there most of the time, so it's like I really don't have parents either." There was a slight shake in his voice. Dash cleared his throat, hating that he'd let his guard down like that in front of this girl.__

__"At least you only have two more years to endure it. Then you can move out and live on your own." Dani smiled at him sympathetically.__

__"Yeah, I suppose. But I'll always feel like I need to take care of Mom and – wait a second. How did you know I only had two more years of high school?" Dash furrowed his eyebrows and gave her a suspicious look.__

_"_You just look that age. Junior, right?" Dash could see her chewing on the insides of her cheeks.__

__"Oh, yeah." He knew she was hiding something. "So, will I see you at school?"__

__"Possibly," the girl replied as they both stood up from the bench.__

__"Well, I'll see you around," Dash said. He smiled again at her and turned around. Suddenly he heard laughter behind him. Dash turned to face her again and asked what was so funny.__

__"You – you're – jack – et!" Danielle told him in between breaths as tears began running down her face. He drug a hand across his lower back and when he brought his hand back around he saw it covered in blue paint.__

__"Aww, man! My new jacket! Wait, what about yours?" Dash inquired innocently, not missing the chance to poke fun at the girl.__

__She reached a hand to her upper back and looked at her cerulean colored hand. The two began laughing uncontrollably and after several minutes stopped and looked at each other.__

__"I better get going," Dash said. He was sad that he had to leave so soon, but his mom would probably call the police if he didn't show back up at home soon.__

__"See you around, Dash."__

__"See you around, Danielle." He walked away with a slight skip in his step.__

__"You can call me Dani! With an "I"!" She called to him.__

__He walked backwards as he smiled and waved. Dani waved back with a reflection of his smile on her face.__

Dash cleared the memory from his head. Nothing could stop the smile blooming on his lips.

After viewing himself from several angles, Dash took in a deep breath and sighed with the sound of self-approval, hoping desperately he wouldn't mess this up.

"What do you think, Pooky?" Dash asked his greyhound who was laying on his bed.

He yipped with delight. Dash smiled and knelt down to scratch his companion behind the ears.

"I'll be back home soon, m'kay buddy?" Dash reached into his mini fridge to retrieve a bottle of water that he poured Pooky's bowl. He goodbye to him, but only after submitting to the puppy-dog-eyes look and giving Pooky a bacon strip treat.

Grabbing his Letterman jacket (force of habit), and the keys to his Taurus, he exited his bedroom.

Walking past the living room on his way out the door, he spoke softly to a haggard looking woman sitting on a couch. She was watching TV with her head resting heavily on her fist, her eyes bloodshot.

"I'm going out, but I'll be back soon, okay, Mom?"

The woman slowly turned her head towards the boy. She spoke in a gruff monotone. "That's what your father said."

Dash rolled his eyes in exasperation. She was suffering from one of her famous hangovers no doubt. Surprising, seeing how it was only a little before five in the evening.

"I'm just going out with a friend. I'll be back before midnight, I promise."

Not bothering to wait for a response, Dash closed the front door to his two-story limestone house and locked it. The boy got into his car and turned the key in the ignition unsteadily with shakiness that had returned to his hands.

_Calm down man_, he thought to himself.

_OoOoOoOoOoOoOo_

Peering critically at her reflection in the mirror, Dani wiped under her eyes to clear her face from mascara that had flaked off. The tiny girl made an indignant "_Hmph!_" and crossed her arms.

"Oh, stop, you know you like it," a certain ginger said proudly, her hands placed on her hips.

Dani guffawed. "Yes because I _looove _being made to look like a plastic barbie." She pulled at her soft and shiny hair. "Thanks a lot, Jazz."

"You're making it sound way worse than it is," Jazz said with a shrug. "You don't have to be a tom boy around the clock. Don't let Danny's boy genes get to your pretty little head."

At that time, the sisters' brother stormed into the room.

"Speak of the devil," Jazz mumbled under her breath.

"Is it true?" Danny asked, his fists clenched and eyes flashing green.

Dani rolled her eyes. Instead of beating around the bush, Dani said point-blank, "Yes, Danny, I'm going on a date with Dash."

"Are you _serious_?" Danny growled. "Need I remind you that we're talking about the same kid whose bullied me since before he could count to ten? How could you even _consider_ going on a date with him?"

"He asked very nicely," said Dani simply.

He was her clone, not her dad. She doesn't need his protection, nor him snooping around her business.

Danny glanced around the room looking desperate for something that could prevent her from going.

"What if there's a ghost attack? One, you'll be all alone. Two, Dash doesn't know you're my clone _or_ a Halfa. Or did you give away all the secrets away to the enemy?" Danny crossed his arms, the look on his face suggesting he thought he had won this argument.

"No, Danny, he doesn't know anything," the girl sighed. "And he isn't the enemy. I can handle myself; I've already proven that. Besides, the restaurant is sixty some miles away from Amity. In case you haven't noticed, the majority of the ghosts stay here." Which was entirely true. They were like moths to a flame, hungering for any ectoplasm they could get their hands on. Well, if they had hands.

"I still don't like it," Danny grumbled.

"You don't have to," said Dani dismissively. "I'll be home before curfew. Go hang out with Tucker or make-out with Sam."

Danny narrowed his eyes and then sighed in defeat. "Just be careful, alright? I don't want you coming home melting into a puddle of ectoplasm again."

The halfa snorted. "That won't happen." She crossed the room to hug her older brother to comfort him. A few moments later, Danny left the room and Dani, seeking relief from the now humid air, went to her cold window.

"You can't blame him Dani," said Jazz. "It's in his nature to be overprotective."

Dani nodded (the conversation was to be expected) and leaned her head against the window.

Looking down at the streets, she saw Dash's Taurus start slowing down by the sidewalk of her house. She started to panick, but that feeling was replaced with confusion when the car took off and turned right at the stop sign. Dani stood there staring at the street and was rewarded when she saw his car pull up again. Only to shoot off like a rocket and make a circle around the block once more.

_What was he doing?_ Dani asked herself.

"I'll make sure Mom, Dad, and any other unwanted onlookers aren't there to bother you when Dash comes to the door," said Jazz with a smile.

"_If_ he comes to the door," murmured Dani, not quite loud enough for her sister to hear. She went back to her mirror and flattened out the skirt of her dress. Butterflies were dancing the Thriller inside her stomach.

_Calm down_, she thought to herself.

_OoOoOoOoOoOoOo_

Dash drove to the Fenton house and circled the block at least four times, trying to slow his racing heart and bring his nerves under control. He pulled over to the curb and after straightening his collar one last time, stepped out of the car into the chilly fall, evening air. (It was pretty cold for five o'clock.)

Dash left his jacket on the passenger seat, all thought of it lost in the maelstrom that was his mind. As he finally reached the front door, he hesitated, his fist poised in mid air.

_Oh, Lord, _Dash thought to himself. _What if her dad answers the door? I'm a junior, and she's... she's just a freshman! What are they going to think? Or worse... Danny._ He was bound to hate Dash after all he had done, but now taking his... cousin (if he remembered the relationship right) on a date? Dash wasn't anxious to have the boy blow up on him.

Pushing down the wave of nausea climbing up his body, he swallowed and knocked purposefully three times. It was quite unlike his habit of slamming his fist on his door at home until his mom woke up from her drunken stupor to unlock it for him. His jaw dropped as the door inched open and Dani stepped into view.

Dani, short for her age, stood there in four inch, pearl white heels that seemed to do nothing for her height; she was still a foot shorter than Dash. A knee-length, long-sleeve white and floaty dress covered in lace graced her body. A thick, light blue satin belt embraced her small waist. Her raven hair that was normally straight was now flaunting soft, voluminous curls that cascaded down past her shoulders.

Unlike Paulina, Dani had done her make-up tastefully. A pale pink lipstick, mascara that wasn't overkill, barely rouged cheeks, and a sparkly copper eyeshadow all seemed to contribute to making her vivid, ocean blue eyes sparkle in the evening sun.

Dani laughed lightly as she took in Dash, making the fidgety teen before her wring his hands.

"What's wrong?" he asked nervously.

Dani gestured to him then to herself. "We match."

Dash blushed fiercely and looked down at the floor (first to scrape his jaw up off of it) to hide the crimson erupting in his cheeks. He mumbled to the floor, "I've never really dressed up this much before." He looked her in the eye and a tender smile spread across his face as he said, "But you look..." he paused searching for a suitable word, "Breathtaking." And with that he took her by the hand and escorted her to the Taurus.

_OoOoOoOoOoOoOo_

Dash drove carefully, coming to slow gentle stops, and accelerating ever-so gently. He had precious cargo and didn't ever want to put Dani in harms way.

The restaurant was an hours drive (there was nothing in Amity Park that warranted the ensembles they were wearing), so Dash and Dani had plenty of time to talk to each other. Unfortunately, Dash found himself grasping desperately for a topic. He could _not_ let this girl lose interest in him. Maybe if he went slightly over the speed limit to get there faster–

"What's your favorite type of music?" Dani inquired suddenly.

Dash was stunned temporarily before he snuck a glance over at Dani. She was smiling at him in a curious and expectant way.

"Well, um, I don't know," said Dash, mentally tripping over his words. He probably sounded so stupid to her. Anxious to redeem himself he quickly added, "I like listening to oldies music."

Dani raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You, Dash Baxter, like listening to the Golden Oldies?"

He nodded slightly, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. Should he have lied and said punk rock?

Dani leaned back in her seat folding her arms into her lap. She smiled and said cheerfully, "There may be hope for you yet."

Dash forced a small nervous laugh then grew serious and began to panic. He knew it was his turn to ask a question.

"Well, um, Dani..." He started, his knuckles white and clasped around the steering wheel. "Do... do you read much?" He asked lamely, mentally smacking himself on the face for such a stupid question.

Dani didn't seem to think so as her whole face lit up at his question. "Oh, yeah!" she exclaimed. "Where do I begin? There's this one series about Greek mythology..." She began naming off a list of her favorite series, giving a short summary of each.

Dash couldn't help but smile. Her talking about something she was obviously so passionate about made him feel... invigorated.

Dani slowly trailed off, feeling suddenly self-conscious. She always managed to talk way too much. She cautiously glanced at Dash, only to catch him grinning like a fool as he reached across the car and took her hand in his. He hadn't realize until now that she had his Letterman jacket draped across her legs. Light smudges of blue still marked the red.

He ran his thumb over her smooth skin. Those butterflies in her stomach were doing the Just Dance song "Rasputin" now.

He chuckled, "There may be hope for you yet."

_So Dash likes to read, huh? _Dani thought. "Hey, now, watch it. That's my line, Buster," said Dani teasingly.

"Actually, it's Baxter," Dash mocked, sarcasm layered on his words.

He glanced over to see Dani staring at him with a slightly goofy smile (that he found endearing) spreading across her delicate features. He winked at her and Dani seemed to melt.

_I did something to make her swoon_, Dash thought proudly.

_OoOoOoOoOoOoOo_

When the couple arrived at the location of their dining pleasure, Dani sat stock still while she gazed up (and up and up and up) at the tall building.

While she was busy gawking, Dash had already made his way to her side and held the door open, his outstretched hand ready to help her out of the car. She blushed as she accepted his offer, and she climbed out of the car subconsciously clinging to his Letterman jacket.

"Do you want to take that with you?" Dash asked nodding towards the jacket.

"Oh," Dani mumbled, her cheeks heating up even more so. "I didn't even realize..." She was digging herself deeper.

"It's a little chilly, you might need it later," Dash suggested, saving Dani from a world of embarrassment. Her ghost powers would block out the cold, but it was nice to have his sweet, musky smelling jacket along her side.

The two walked slowly to the front doors with Dash nearly pulling Dani alongside him when her attention returned to the remarkably tall restaurant. In a gentleman like manner, Dash opened the door for her, causing a pink glow on her cheeks.

A huge unsupported dome rising dozens of stories high loomed over them. Around the dome were balconies overlooking the ornate lobby that consisted of many lounge chairs, stone fireplaces, and expensive looking lamps atop mahogany end tables.

Dash led his date to the glass elevator located across the lounge, and they patiently waited for the elevator to reach their level. After entering (and allowing Dani inside first) Dash pressed a button at the top that read... well, it was jibberish to Dani. If she had to guess she'd say French. Maybe her nerves were affecting her more than she thought.

The brunette rested her hands on the support bar and gazed down at the magnificent lobby as it got smaller and smaller. A soft ding sounded, and the couple exited with Dash's arm placed daringly on Dani's waist. The attendant on duty greeted them as they walked through the doors of the elevator into a much smaller lobby.

"Bonne soirée, Monsieur Baxter, avez-vous une réserve ce soir?"

"En fait je ne, Alfonse," Dash replied fluently, a lilting accent flavoring his baritone voice.

Dani turned to Dash agape, completely unaware that he could speak another language, let alone fluently! A light scarlet coloured his cheeks and he chuckled nervously. A silence ensued, but before it became uncomfortably long Alfonse interjected.

"Who would be this this ravishing young maiden you've entreated the company of tonight?"

This time it was Dani's turn to blush, her usual outgoing self disappeared at the comment and she looked down at her feet.

"My name is Danielle, sir," she mumbled, too shy to even use her nickname.

Alfonse complimented her appearance (to which Dani said a nervous thank you), and he led them to their table. Dani felt an odd sensation of movement when she stepped past the lobby. She furrowed her eyebrow and looked around for a threat from a ghost.

Dash nudged her and said, "It's a revolving restaurant. See?" He pointed to the lobby which was now moving at a barely noticeable pace.

She continued to look outside the windows as they followed Alfonse. It appeared they were in downtown Chicago, though how Dani missed that fact she had no idea.

Their waiter seated them and took their drink orders. Dani took a Virgin pina colada daiquiri after a quick perusal of the menu, and Dash a cherry crème soda. Then with a flourish of his pen, Alfonse swept their drink menus away, replaced them with the main menus, and went off to prepare their drinks.

"Well, this is... amazing," said Dani, feeling lame with her limited vocabulary. She leaned back in her one person booth seat that appeared to be upholstered in some sort of satiny velvet material. What she wouldn't give to have a pillow made out of that.

The whole dining room was a circle (like a doughnut) around the lobby and kitchens and bathrooms of the actual restaurant. The windows curved along with the dining room providing a 360 view of Chicago. The lights were dimmed very low to allow the lights from the skyscrapers outside to engross everyone in the room. The experience was like no other. What made it all the sweeter was the window seat they had gotten for a close up view of their surroundings.

"Dad and I use to come here to celebrate my birthdays," Dash said in a mournful and nostalgic tone. Not wanting to dwell on the past, Dash quirked his eyebrow and asked, "Danielle, huh? You never use your full name."

Feeling silly again, Dani simply nodded, her attention focused on the magnificence of the John Hancock building which was escaping her view due to the rotation. "I guess I was just shy back there with you two spouting... French nonsense."

Dash leaned across the tiny mahogany table only meant to seat two. "Surely I could call you that, too." Gazing deeply into her eyes he continued softly. "With name as beautiful as Danielle, I could not bear to part with a single syllable of it."

If she wasn't blushing before, she sure as hell was now. "Where did you learn to talk like that, Mr. Baxter?" She didn't hide the romantic tone nor the genuine surprise in her voice.

"You can learn a lot of things from the French, it seems. After all, it's the language of love." The devious boy winked again before leaning back in his seat. A second later a slim waitress deposited a selection of breads which was quickly followed by two small dishes of spreads. One was honey butter and the other was sun-dried tomato basil.

As soon as the waitress left, and at exactly the same time, both Dani and Dash swept the latter of the two spreads to the end of the table. They exchanged a knowing look.

"Tomatoes... blah," the two said.

The dinner date continued with Dash buttering up a soft roll for Dani (which melted in her mouth blissfully) and the teenage boy attempting (and succeeding) to make his date swoon with more romantic comments. Who knew he was such a smooth talker with the ladies?

"So how did you learn French anyhow?" Dani inquired. "The school only offers Spanish, German, and Swahili."

Dash's face seemed to crumble like a pastry for a second before he regained his composure and said quietly, "Back when dad was still around we, uh... we used to travel a lot. He was a linguistic specialist and he'd take business trips to all these exotic places where he'd live with the indigenous tribes. He would document everything he could about their language. There were times when he was gone for an entire year. Every summer he'd take me with him on at least one trip. And then... one year we never heard from him again. Mom's convinced he ran off with some other woman."

Dash was then silent for a long time before starting again.

"Sometimes I wish I could hate him for not coming back, but more than that, I just wish I knew what happened to him. Whether he's still out there somewhere. Whether or not he thinks about me. The police haven't found him, but you know, that doesn't mean he isn't... "

For the second time that night Dani's hand met Dash's – this time across the table – and his shimmering blue eyes lit up considerably.

He smiled for a second and then asked, "What about you? Ever travel?"

Dani returned the smile. "Actually, yeah. Last year when I was thirteen I went overseas to Rome, Paris, Athens, Lower Egypt, bunches of places."

"I really liked Athens when Dad and I went. Even though the Parthenon was in ruins, it was still pretty amazing," Dash reminisced. "How did you get everywhere?"

"Oh, I flew," said Dani flippantly. Only after it was done did she realize what she had said. She gave herself a mental rare-quadruple-face-palm.

"That seems like it would be really expensive. I would suggest taking the Metro in Europe. Much cheaper. Well, it wouldn't matter I guess if your parents were loaded," Dash laughed. "They went with you, right?"

Biting the inside of her cheek, Dani wracked her brain for an excuse. She felt horrible lying to him... "Uh, well –"

Somewhere, someplace, an angel must have been looking out for Dani because at that moment a siren began wailing and sprinklers went off overhead.

Glancing around confusedly at first, Dash realized it was a fire alarm sounding. Waiters were ushering people out a door that led to escape stairs.

__No, not this! __Dash thought. This was __not __how this date was supposed to go.

Cursing under his breath, Dash led Dani (who was promising herself to say a few choice words to Jazz about the four inch high torture devices adorning her feet) by her arm to the escape exit.

Before they could reach the stairs, an earth-shaking crack pierced the air. Take the sound of someone popping their knuckles magnified by ten. The floor split beneath Dani's feet, and gravity snatched her from the air like a puppet whose strings had been snipped.

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><p><strong>Until the next chapter...<strong>

**-A.M. Williams**

Update on June 26th, 2015. Hiya! I've missed this story so much, and hopefully so have all of you. I've made some revisions to this chapter and will also be revising my work on chapter two and three. Hopefully after that we can get a chapter four going!


	2. Falling Fast (Pun Intended)

**Author's Note:** Thank you to **Creepy-Pasta**, **princessariellover876**, **lightshadow101**,

**DragonNinja2014**, **DannySamLover20**, **The Illumination**, **Kathleen Victoria Winters**, **Marie Delacroix**, **HarleyQuinn1307**, **WhiteAngel43**, Guest, **ItTicklesLikeCrazy**, **Zinnia99**, **Ethan Demas, **and **Another Guest** (Guest) for reviewing!

Thank you, **ItTicklesLikeCrazy**, for being the incredible, extraordinary beta reader that you are.

Here is the full summary. How am I supposed to fit all the thrilling details inside a 385 character limit?

Dani isn't the only one with a difficult past. She makes a startling discovery about Dash's own past when she is forced to overshadow Dash to save his life. Now she is caught in a web of intrigue as she tries to decipher more about Dash Baxter's past. Meanwhile, Dash is falling in love with Dani Fenton, but what would he think about Dani Phantom? Dash is coming dangerously close to uncovering Danielle's secret as she finds herself letting him closer and closer. No secrets remain secrets forever, the only question is – Will their secrets bring them closer together, or tear them apart? Danish. (Sam x Danny, hints of Tucker x Valerie.) Sequel to Extrinsic Souls.

**I'd love it if you guys read ES! This is the summary for the first story.**

**Summary: **AU. Post PP. What if it wasn't an accident that turned Danny into a Halfa? What if destiny predetermined his fate before he was even born? What if Maddie and Jack weren't has real parents? And what if there were hundreds of Halfas, waiting to be discovered? For once, these "what if's" are a reality, and the outcome isn't what anyone expected. (Under reconstruction.)

**Sounds pretty crazy, huh? Breaking news! This story is going to be even crazier. I know I originally said that this would only have Dash's or Dani's POV (third person limited or first person), but since this is now the sequel, it will include various other characters' POV's.**

In this chapter you are getting a peek at Dash's childhood which meant I had to figure out when he was born. In Phantom Planet he was fourteen years old, and that show aired in 2007 meaning that Dash would have been born in 1993, so that's the year I'm using. Of course that would mean he is twenty-one, but this is taking place when Dash is a junior in high school, so in the story, the year is 2010. Correct me if I'm wrong, please!

**Getting chapters up (for this story and all of my other stories) is really difficult. Not only do I have a packed schedule, but Mom is constantly interrupting me when I'm writing to do menial tasks for her.** Exhibit A:

**Mom**: Rori, sweep the kitchen for me.

**Me**: Mom. Little preoccupied writing at the moment.

**Mom**: You know what you should write about?

(Genuinely interested) **Me**: What?

(Smug) **Mom**: A girl who sweeps the kitchen when her mother asks her to.

(Scowling) **Me**: This isn't a Disney story, Mom. Don't joke.

**I don't own Danny Phantom**, but **if I did**,** I'd mass produce little Skulker bobbleheads that say things like, "I'll have your pelt!"** in Kevin Michael Richardson's voice (who is also Paulina's dad; this explains so much) and sell them for $7 apiece and become a millionaire. Because, **who doesn't want a Skulker bobblehead**? I mean, let's be honest here.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter Two: Falling Fast (Pun Intended)<strong>_

_Dash_

One moment I was talking to my date, and the next she was torn from me. I watched the building's floor open wide like a gaping maw, swallowing her whole. Rumbling quakes echoed through the building as if cackling, reveling as it stole Danielle from me.

My Danielle.

Quickened instincts and reactions from years of playing football kicked in as I lunged forward, reaching desperately for her arm. I felt my fingers graze her wrist, and then I was her only tether, the one thing keeping her from falling into the void unfurling below. Relief flooded her features as she looked up at me, but soon turned to a rictus of pure horror, for reasons I couldn't comprehend.

"Don't worry, I've got " Something struck the back of my head with such force that I

toppled forward, the last thing I heard before I blacked out was Danielle screaming.

_Dani_

Under normal circumstances, the thought of Dash Baxter saving my life would've turned my insides to ectoplasmic jelly. I mean that in the best way possible. But these were not normal circumstances. The fire that was weakening the building was not only damaging the foundations, but had also spread to the roof. Teetering on the precipice of the skylight was a chunk of rebar and cement the size of a microwave. I opened my mouth to warn him, to tell him to let me go. That's when hell broke loose. The celing crumbled, and the rebar tumbled over the edge, falling in an arc directly towards Dash's head.

Entirely unaware of the threat looming over his head, Dash smiled reassuringly and said, "Don't worry, I've got " The warped mass of metal bars and cement connected with his skull with a sickening crunch, his eyes rolling back in their sockets as he crumpled forward and the hand that my life was in grew limp. My heart stopped as a pain I'd never felt the like of tore through me.

"DASH!" I screamed, fury and fear echoing through me. Two pale rings of light encompassed me as I channeled my ghost form. I became intangible, flying straight through the debris that battered and bashed Dash Baxter like a dove in the darkest of storms.

At last, I reached him, drawing him close to my body as I flew through the walls of the building. His body weight was dragging my own down to the earth, and with great difficulty we landed in small copse of trees just behind the building. A thick layer of pine needles and fallen leaves blanketed the ground.

I laid Dash down gently, taking special care with his head. A thick, slimy feeling made me wince as I retracted my hand. Warm blood coated my hand. Turning him over I found a gash just below the crown of his head. A pool of blood began collecting under him at an alarming rate, painting the mattress he lay on from soft verdant to sharp crimson. Bile rose at the back of my throat, choking me as I began to panic. My breathing rapidly increased and my heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest for what had to be the umpteenth time tonight. Now it was for an entirely different reason.

_Calm down, Danielle, you can handle this. You've been in trickier situations before,_ I told myself. _First things first, Dash needs help._

Knowing that with the way my stomach was churning there was no way I was going to be able to fly Dash to help, I decided to take the alternative. With the aid of my ghostly strength, I was able to carry Dash in my arms relatively easily. Halfway to the medical pavilion, a thought struck me. No ordinary girl my age would be able to carry a 6' 4" quarterback from the CHS football team for five steps, let alone the 50 meters between the copse and where the medics were tending to the survivors of the accident.

I lowered Dash to the ground once more and my heart broke at what I saw. Dash looked as if death had warmed over him; it was obvious that he couldn't last much longer. I could barely feel his pulse, even with my ghost enhanced senses. A growl of utter defeat touched my lips, and tears threatened to overwhelm me. I hadn't cried in almost a year, not since the time when I could barely hold my form together, and I was certain I was going to die. Now, though, with Dash in the same state, tears streamed down my face in rivulets.

Gritting my teeth, I wiped my face with the back of my hand roughly. I got to my feet and hauled Dash to his feet again, the two of us stumbling once more towards the medical pavilion.

A root snagged my foot, and I went down hard, an agonizing pain shooting up from my ankle. Dash's body slumped on top of me, increasing the pressure on my ankle until I was sure it would snap. Agony surged through me, and I knew that there was no way I could carry Dash another step.

"Help!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Someone! Anyone? SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME?!"

I kept screaming and yelling until my throat was raw, and my voice was but a muffled croak. No help came. The police sirens and the keening of the injured drowned out my pleas.

"Someone... please..." I mumbled, looking down at Dash's face. If Death could be personified, one would have no need to look further than at Dash Baxter as he lay in my arms.

This couldn't happen. I couldn't let this happen. I would not let him die.

An idea came to me then.

If I were to overshadow him, maybe I'd be able to bring him to the medical pavilion. It was risky, and there was no guarantee I wouldn't damage his mind. There wasn't even any guarantee that I'd be able to control him if he were unconscious. I had to try. I prayed that Dash would forgive me if I couldn't pull this off.

Closing my eyes, I let myself drift into him. My consciousness fought his for what seemed like a lifetime, and I was torn from the world and into the maelstrom of his mind.

_Wind danced through my blonde hair, ruining the look of the jelly stuff Mommy had put in my hair. But I liked riding in the car with my window down. Daddy was letting me sit in front with him even though I wasn't old enough. I was so happy that Daddy was home again. Nothing could make me sad. Not even getting told by Mommy when we get back from the fishing trip that I needed to take care of my hair better. It's only hair, what's the big deal anyway?_

"_And we've got more where that came from," said the happy man on the radio." Next up, a song that'll lift you higher, it's Burning Love by, the one and only, Elvis, baby!"_

"_Alright!" I exclaimed at the same time that Daddy moaned, "Oh no."_

_Bouncing up and down in my seat, I looked over at Daddy to see him smiling. He wasn't really upset about the song. He loved The King just as much as I did. But he knew how excited I got when I heard Burning Love. So he held on tight to the steering wheel and shook his head. The way his dark blue eyes twinkled made me even happier._

"Lord Almighty,

I feel my temperature rising

Higher higher

It's burning through to my soul

Girl, girl, girl

You're gonna set me on fire

My brain is flaming

I don't know which way to go..."

_Every word I sang as loud as I could while I danced in my seat. The chorus is what I really really really liked best, and Daddy knew it. He chuckled and smoothed down his dark, grey streaked hair down as I made guitar noises along with the guitar._

"Your kisses lift me higher

Like the sweet song of a choir

You light my morning sky

With burning love..."

_I punched the air after the last word, still dancing in my seat._

"_Come on, Daddy," I shouted over the music. "Do the Elvis thing!"_

_Daddy smiled showing his perfect white teeth. I wanted my teeth to grow up like his and be sparkly. "Elvis, baby, huah," he said in his Elvis voice, even doing Elvis' signature sign-off grunt at the end._

_I cheered and went on singing._

"Ooh, ooh, ooh

I feel my temperature rising

Help me, I'm flaming

I must be a hundred and nine

Burning, burning, burning

And nothing can cool me

I just might turn into smoke

But I feel fine

'Cause your kisses lift me higher

Like the sweet song of a choir

And light my morning sky

With burning love…"

_Putting on my best "Elvis smolder" (that's what Mommy calls it) I started playing air guitar to the song while Dad sang the notes._

"It's coming closer

The flames are reaching my body

Please won't you help me

I feel like I'm slipping away

It's hard to breathe

And my chest is a-heaving

Lord Almighty,

I'm burning a hole where I lay

'Cause your kisses lift me higher

Like the sweet song of a choir

You light my morning sky

With burning love

With burning love

Ah, ah, burning love

I'm just a hunk, a hunk of burning love

Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love

Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love

Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love

Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love

Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love..."

_I had calmed a little as the song started fading out. That gave room in my head for an idea._

"_Daddy, you're Elvis," I said in a matter-of-fact tone._

"_And what made you decide that?" He snorted._

"_Your names sound like each other!" I told him._

"_Drest and Presley do not sound the same," Daddy said._

"_Not your last name, silly," I moaned. "Malvas, Elvis."_

_Dad sighed, but his eyes were still smiling. "Alright, I'm Elvis, because my five year old son told me so."_

"_And you sing the same, too. Well, yo__u do when you sing for me," I said, narrowing my eyes._

"_Hey now, don't accuse me of not singing for you. My voice is still recovering from yesterday's fiasco when you–" Right then his voice went scratchy._

"_It's not my fault the radio station was playing The Beatles for two hours!"_

_Daddy made the snorting noise again. He was always doing funny stuff like that."I wouldn't be surprised if you had called them to ask them to!"_

_I blushed as I remembered finally pressing the right buttons on our house phone to call the station. I had only wanted to ask them to play a few of my favorite songs, but once I got started naming off songs, I couldn't stop! The hardest part was making my voice deep enough to sound like Daddy does when he talks._

_Giggles escaped from me as Daddy looked down at me with his horror face._

"_You didn't..." he said, sounding amazed and scared at the same time._

"_Yup!" I said happily as Daddy ruffled my hair (Mommy was not going to like that) and laughed with me._

I gasped in pain as I fought for control over Dash and his memories that were attacking me. My vision was blurry and my head throbbed. I was stumbling, nearly crawling my way towards the medical pavilion in Dash's huge, unfamiliar form when another flashback ripped through my mind.

_Scents of cream and vanilla wafted from the kitchen to the living room where I was sat on our expensive-not-to-be-touched sofa, dutifully watching Fairly Oddparents. Today the show was pretty boring (something about Timmy wanting to watch a horror movie where a fly and a blonde hair, blue-eyed guy who kinda looked like me, only two or three years older, switched heads). Even if the aroma from the kitchen wasn't mouthwatering, I would've gotten up anyway. Instead, I ran to the kitchen, knowing the intoxicating scent meant that Dad was cooking something tasty._

"_What smells so good?" I asked dreamily as I entered the huge and shiny kitchen. (I didn't realize that I lived in a mansion until I went over to my friend's house. The only thing I said when I saw it was, "Oh.")_

"_Ah," said Dad as he turned around, whisking something in a silver mixing bowl. He was wearing the rich blue colored apron I had made him last year for Christmas (with Mom's help of course). "That would be the creamy concoction I'm preparing for you. Better known as crème brûlèe, your favorite."_

"_Really?" I asked, overjoyed._

_He usually only made me this dessert on special occasions, but I was too happy knowing that I'd soon be savoring the taste of crème brûlèe to push the matter._

_Dad's blue eyes twinkled before his face turned to an expression of mock horror. "Oh no! I've made a mistake! This isn't YOUR favorite dessert… it's MINE! Oh well, I suppose I'll just have to eat it all myself."_

"_Daaaaadddd," I groaned._

"_Fine, fine," he exclaimed, throwing his whisk in the air. "I suppose I can share... but a certain person is going to have to help me out!"_

"_Really, Dad?!" Judging by his reaction, my face must have lit up like Times Square on New Years as the ball drops._

"_Really, really." His grin faded after a moment, growing serious as he started to speak again. "Some day, Dash, I might not be around, and you've got to be a big strong man and take care of your mother. Can you do that for me?"_

"_You're crazy, dad, you're always gonna be here!" I exclaimed._

_His face changed into a wistful, sad expression. "I want to give you something."_

"_What is it?" I asked excitedly. _

_I always loved getting new things from Dad. His gifts were cool. Like the time he got me a remote control helicopter that fired foam bullets! Those suckers hurt if you got hit with them..._

_Dad reached into his pocket and pulled out a very polished looking, round piece of metal (about the size of his palm) with designs all over it._

"_Oh," I said, trying to mask the disappointment in my voice._

"_Son, do you know what this is?" Dad asked, holding it out to me._

"_It's a pocket watch, right?"_

"_That's right," my dad smiled. "I've had this pocket watch for about 30 years now, and it's been a reminder to me to take every opportunity that I can. Go on, open it."_

_There was a slight click as the lid of the watch popped open and revealed the intricate mechanism inside. It whirred faintly in my hand, sending a strange tickling sensation through my palms and to my fingertips as if it were somehow… connected to me._

"_Watches are so named as a reminder - if you don't watch carefully what you do with your time, it will slip away from you." I read the inscription slowly, trying to understand why Dad would give me something like this._

"_There's many things you need to know." Dad started. "You see, your mother and I aren't like other parents."_

_I had been scared when Dad started talking, but now I smiled. "Course you guys aren't. You're cool!"_

_Dad chuckled, but got serious again. "What I mean to say is... I'm what in my world is called a Half-"_

_A loud crash echoed along the marble hallway from the our living room, followed by the sound of my mother screaming. I could hear a man's voice, too, and wondered what was happening. Before I could even think of moving, Dad pushed me into the dumbwaiter by the door._

"_Stay here and don't move until I tell you, Dashiell." My dad's tone left no room for argument, and I could have sworn that his eyes flashed red for a moment. The shutter on the dumbwaiter clattered shut and I heard my dad's footsteps pounding down the hallway, shouting._

"_Elizabeth? Elizabeth, where are you?! Eliza -" His voice cut off abruptly._

_I crouched in the dumbwaiter with my knees drawn to my chest, my body shaking and my mind terrified. The walls seemed to fold in on me, and the darkness seemed to steal what little air I still had. _

_After what had to have been an hour, angry shouts floated down the hallway to me. I began to hyperventilate, and eventually tears dripped from my eyes. The sounds echoed dully in the metal shaft of the dumbwaiter as I listened for Dad to come back. To hold me and tell me I had nothing to worry about. That he would protect me._

"_He was here again!" Mom half-screamed, half-cried._

"_You mean Le- Dad?" Dad growled after catching himself. I didn't know that much about my grandpa on Dad's side. I didn't even know his name. Only that he was dead._

"_I thought... you told him... to leave us alone?" Mom gasped, now completely crying._

"_Ghosts don't listen -"_

"_Make him listen!" Mom said in a voice I'd never heard her use. She never ordered Dad around. "I can't handle seeing a dead man in my house every week!"_

_I whimpered again, the darkness was terrifying me now. I scrambled out of the dumbwaiter and made a beeline for my room. I ran out the kitchen, through the living room, and then up two flights of stairs which led to a long hallway where my bedroom was._

_The moment I was in my room, I slammed the door shut. Walking shakily to my bed, I sat down and dug under my bed for my headphones to block out the sounds of Mom yelling. She never yelled, but when she did, it wasn't good. Her screaming really hurt my ears. I plugged my headphones into my radio and turned it on. My favorite station was already queued up._

"This is no happy home

But God knows how I've tried

Because you're all I have, my boy

You are my life, my pride, my joy

And if I stay, I stay because of you, my boy…"

_Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about the song. A huge lump formed in my throat that I couldn't swallow. Before I knew it, I was sobbing._

"_Daa-aa-ad, ple-aase…" I begged through my tears. Then my whole body quaked with tremors of inconsolable wailing as I screamed for Dad, screamed until I had no voice left._

Even after the memory had ended, I was still screaming. Dash's subconscious was fighting my uninvited presence, his mind desperately trying to seize back control. Overshadowing people was never a problem for Danny, so why was this so difficult?

With uncertain movements I stumbled through the trees to the flashing lights of an ambulance.

"Help…" I croaked as I fell to my knees. The injuries this body had sustained was too severe to be pushing it any farther.

Then an idea came to me. What if I could use my ghost powers to heal Dash? I'd never tried something like this before, but it was worth a shot.

Feeling mentally was a lot harder than I expected. I imagined myself as a white wisp of smoke inside Dash's body. Then I morphed that wisp into a figure and extended the figure to fill out this form. Pain started to melt away from my limbs (but not my head) almost immediately. I sighed in relief and opened my eyes.

Forms dressed in white were rushing towards me, and my flailing arms were an indicator to my shock. That break in concentration cost me dearly. I could feel Dash fighting me for control of his body.

"Don't you worry, young man, you're in good hands now," a dark-skinned woman told me. I suppressed a cry as I felt Dash take over.

"Wha..?" Dash mumbled.

I was still in his body, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't overshadow him. I couldn't even escape from his body. All I could do was lay dormant in his mind.

Dash was lifted up onto a stretcher and taken over to an examination table by the ambulances. Now a different woman, one with long red hair, was asking him questions.

"Can you wiggle your toes?" She asked pleasantly.

Dash furrowed his eyebrows, and crossed his arms mentally. "Wiggle, wiggle," he said indignantly.

"Oh dear," the woman said. She continued to ask Dash more medical questions, and I continued to try regaining control over him. He was digging himself deeper and deeper.

After the redhead asked Dash how old he was, he was stumped and stopped putting up mental defenses. That's when I jumped at the opportunity. The familiar fizzy feeling of overshadowing him filled my body. Well... his body.

"I'm eighteen, ma'am," I lied. If they knew Dash was a minor he'd have to be taken to the hospital by law.

A surprised look bloomed on her face. "That's the first coherent sentence I've gotten out of you. You have a nasty blow on your head, but we cleaned it up for you. How are you feeling?"

"Much better, actually," I responded.

"Why don't you take a seat by the ambulance and wait a while, just in case?" She gave me a kind smile.

"Thanks, but I don't think that's necessary." I stood up from the stretcher and stretched my limbs.

It hurt a little, but I didn't wince, which made it look like I was better than I really was. I walked briskly around the ambulance and after I'd double checked to see if it was clear, I turned invisible and flew over to the parking lot of the restaurant.

After landing safely, I proceeded to heal Dash the way I had before, only this time focusing on his head. Once I was satisfied I had done the best I could, I phased out of Dash and changed back into my human form (my white dress was streaked with grey, and my hair was a wreck) while he stared at his surroundings in a daze.

"Dash, are you alright?" I asked with caution.

"Umm, yeah, just a… a little disorientated… I think," he answered, sounding very puzzled. He raised a hand to the back of his head then winced as he touched the bandages. "What happen-" His eyes widened. "The restaurant was on fire and the floor… Dani, I am so sorry." He took a step towards me, his arms extended.

Raising my own arms, I waved my hands flippantly. "No, it's okay, we both made it out okay." I gave him a confident smile.

He frowned at my words. "How did we make it out?"

Damn. I hadn't thought about that.

"Well, firefighters came into the building and got everyone out safely. You got hit on the head though, and you were unconscious most of the time until we got to the ambulance. They said your head injury wasn't serious. Just some blood." My words were rushed, and he could probably read me like an open book.

Worst. Liar. Ever.

Dash narrowed his eyes, but just as quickly relaxed. "And you didn't get hurt?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine."

He nodded to himself, then sighed. "So much for our first date going without a hitch, huh?"

I laughed. "I'm sure we still have some time left for you to redeem yourself. Do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah, gimme a sec." He reached into his pocket, but instead of pulling out his phone like I expected, he pulled out the shiny pocket watch I had seen in his memories.

I swallowed hard. When the cover clicked open, I saw the glass face was cracked.

"Oh, yeah, we still have time," Dash grinned mischievously.

I playfully rolled my eyes at his excitement. We walked to the front of the parking lot closest to the building to find his Taurus. We finally located it, but not in the condition we had left it in. Rubble from the building must've fallen and hit his car because huge chunks of glass and concrete had left huge dents in the hood and roof of the Taurus. There was even a hole in the fender that looked suspiciously like a casualty from an ecto-blast. I brushed off the idea quickly, though. Ghost free zone tonight.

Dash's thoughts weren't so easily dismissed. I tried not to giggle at him as he growled and fumed over his car. Such a typical guy. I'd slip money I'd stolen from Vlad to Dash's wallet or bank account somehow.

"I don't know who's behind all this, but THEY'RE GONNA FIX MY CAR!"

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><p><strong>Until the next chapter...<strong>

**-A.M. Williams**

**Update on June 29th, 2015. **Gave you guys a bit more to chew on with that second flashback. What do you make of Dash's parents now?


	3. Blinded By the Light

****Author's Note: Greetings, fanfictionites! Do you how do? (Name the reference! Hint: yellow.)****

****Thanks to Another Guest ******(Guest)******, Lovin' It ******(Guest)******, DragonNinja2014, DannySamLover20, Marie Delacroix, The Illumination, Kathleen Victoria Winters, HarleyQuinn1307, WhiteAngel43, Zinnia 99, DP-PJO-SPN-Girl297, Phangirl of You ******(Guest)******, John Doe ******(Guest)******, infinity6301, and STORMYY-RAINY for reviewing. I'll be replying to Guest reviews in the Ending Author's Note.****

****And where would I be without ItTicklesLikeCrazy? ItTicklesLikeCrazy is positively the best beta reader there is. She has so many ideas that I would've never had a fleeting glimpse of imagining.****

****How is school for everyone? Right now, for me, it's already stressful. Geometry is poison from the depths of Tartarus.****

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><p><strong><em><strong>Chapter Three: Blinded By the Light<strong>_**

__Dani__

"I didn't know that you could drive," Dash said, frowning.

I'd volunteered to drive us wherever Dash was planning to go next because I could tell he was still out of it from the injuries he had sustained.

"Of course I can drive!" I snorted. Then, too quiet for Dash hear, I mumbled, "Just not __legally__." I didn't tell him that __technically__ I couldn't drive, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him… Right?

Dash seemed to be in a trance for most of the ride, only mumbling street names every now and then. Until suddenly he jolted upright in his seat and shouted, "Turn right here!"

Acting on instinct, I swerved wildly and almost crashed into a moss-covered arch. We barely made it through the gap between it and a similar arch on the other side of the dirt road we were barreling down.

I glanced over at Dash and saw him clutching the handle on the ceiling of the car like his life depended on it. His face had turned a shade of white that most of the ghosts I'd known couldn't even match.

I whirled the car around, bringing us to a tire-screeching stop. The dirt cloud I'd made with my NASCAR worthy driving floated around the car like thick fog. I grinned "charmingly" at Dash, who was hyperventilating in the passenger's seat.

"You… can drive… huh?" Dash gasped. I wasn't sure how to respond to that, so I waited until his breathing slowed down to the speed of a breathless marathon runner instead of a person having a panic attack.

"I did say, 'not legally.' You just didn't…" The dirt cloud around us had settled enough for me to view our current surroundings. "...hear me."

Without realizing it, my hand felt around for the door handle. Not even bothering to shut the car door, I started to drift down the gravel path.

A dream coalesced before me, a grove shrouded in twilight, a solitary lamppost embellishing the copse with its warm incandescence. The warmth of its luster was an illusion, however, and a chill wind fluttered through the clearing with the essence of a caged bird, rippling across my skin and raising gooseflesh where its tendrils caressed my bare arms. Gravel crunched beneath my feet, crackling like rain, and a stream gurgled just outside of my vision. An inviting scent enveloped me, and something draped itself upon my shoulders.

Stiffening in surprise, I looked down and saw the familiar colors of Dash's red and white Letterman jacket. I turned to face him, my mouth agape, but his strong hands spun me around once more, urging me to take in what I hadn't previously. I pressed my back against Dash's chest, his arms twining around my waist as if they belonged there every bit as much as the clothing I wore.

A gentle zephyr whispered through our haven, and I closed my eyes, inhaling slowly. The musky scent of Dash's jacket wreathed around me, and I could still smell the paint we had sat in when we first met at the train station lingering on the coat like a phantasmal silhouette of the bond we had made. The crickets began to chirp, and thunder rumbled in the distance as if chuckling along with me. I turned to Dash, gazing at him in wonder.

He took my hand and led me to a bench that faced the gravel road and that lay beneath the lamppost, encircled by a halo of golden light. We sat, and Dash gathered me in his arms, sheltering me once more from the wind.

Instinctively, my hand lay upon his chest and my fingers traced small circles against his shirt. His brilliant blue eyes were transfixed upon my own, but there was something more there. The depths of his eyes seemed to dare me, to challenge me to do something - No, to invite me. I realized this as his neck arched and his lips began to descend towards my own. My heart fluttered in my chest like an epileptic rabbit's. With my eyes half-lidded, I leaned closer-

__BAM!__

Blue-tinged LED lights blinded me. I raised my hand to cover my eyes in response, but Dash nearly jumped right off the side of the bench. My sight quickly adjusted, and let me tell you, I was __not __happy by what I saw.

The source of the lights was a black-as-midnight Audi sedan. (Probably why I hadn't heard the car approaching. Damned luxury cars.) There was only one person I knew with that car that would come to this nearly completely hidden . I nearly growled as a figure started barreling towards me, two more figures following closely behind.

"What are you doing here, Danny?" I demanded, rising from the bench with my fists clenched.

Danny skidded to a stop in the gravel just a couple feet away from me. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Dash, who was rubbing his eyes. "I could ask you the same thing, Danielle."

I bristled at that. The way he said my name was like a parent reprimanding their child.

"I'll ask you again since you can't get anything through that thick skull of yours. What are doing here? You'd __better__ not be following me."

"Actually, we were following a ghost trail here-"

Dani guffawed. "Right, as if."

Danny growled. "But I should've followed you. You're only fourteen years old. You shouldn't be going on dates-"

"Stop right there!" Dani shouted. "I'm done with you telling me what I can and can't do, Danny! You. Are. Not. My. Father."

"I might as well be!" Danny yelled back. "Someone's gotta watch out for you! No one was watching you, and now you're on a date with this idiot of a-"

"Hey!" Dash interjected. "I am __not__ an idiot, Fenton," he said indignantly.

Danny marched straight up to Dash. "Hell if you aren't!" Danny pressed his finger into Dash's chest. "You're a bully to everyone, and I wouldn't be surprised if you were just going on this date with Dani to get in her pants!"

Sam and Tucker gasped at his exclamation. I screamed in frustration and threw my hands in the air. Dash grabbed a hold of Danny's wrist and, through clenched teeth, said, "Don't you ever talk about me disgracing Danielle that way."

Danny's angry demeanor faltered for a split second. He looked at me, eyes narrowed. "You let him call you Danielle?"

At a loss for words (huh, imagine me being at a loss for words), I didn't reply. But that only made Danny even angrier. He took a couple steps back from Dash and flicked his hand. A bright green ecto-ray appeared in his hand, the light turning to entire clearing an ominous shade. Dash just growled and went into a defensive position.

Sam chose that moment to finally intervene, exclaiming, "Come __on__ you two, break it up!" She pressed her palms to Danny's chest murmuring, "He's not worth it, Danny."

Ghost-enhanced hearing was useful, but sometimes it got really awkward. Like the time when Maddie and Jack came home after staying out late, and they went upstairs and-

You know what? Let's not bring that up. Ever.

Danny, Tucker, and Sam turned and got back in the car then. Just before Sam got in the car, she caught my eye, and if I hadn't known better I would have sworn she winked at me. I was still simmering.

The trio floored the car and angrily kicked up a huge dust cloud as they drove away.

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><p><strong><strong>Ending Author's Note: Review-Response for Guests (RRG) time!<strong>**

****Guest (Ch. 1 on July 16th): ****I'm really glad that you like what I've done with Dash's character. Matthew Pride and I worked really hard to make a whole new character with him.

****Another Guest (Ch. 1 on July 30th): ****Yay! I have a guest who read the first one! Thanks for noticing the improvements I've made with my writing. That means I'm doing something right!

****Another Guest (Ch. 2 on August 2nd): ****Aww, thanks! Dash is now one of my most favoritest character now because of this story ^_^

****Lovin' it (Ch. 1 on August 2nd): ****Thanks!

****Lovin' It (Ch. 2 on August 2nd): ****KABOOM!

****Phangirl of You (Ch. 1 on August 12th): ****First of all, love your signoff name. Very clever ;) Second, thanks for such an amazing review! I am going to include Dash's mom later on in the story. She's a very important character when it comes to finding out who Dash's father is.

Paulina is an evil witch! I have played around with putting her in the story for drama's sake, but with what I have planned to go down between the villains and the heroes, Paulina would be totally out of place in the story.

I personally love the Oldies, and like you found out in the second chapter, Dash and his father have an affinity for it as well! And I will give you proof later of Dash loving books, haha.

J Gatsby is the epitome of timeless men swag. (I might just use that comment in this story.) And yes, rotating restaurants are an actual thing. My favorite restaurant is called the Eagles Nest. It's a rotating restaurant in Downtown Indy that has A-M-A-Z-I-N-G food.

And I get the joke, haha. They didn't die!

* Round of applause * You got the references! I died laughing when I read the black cherry Kool-Aid comment.

Thanks for the promises of reviews! I'll keep you updated via these chapters of the progress I've made on ES.

****Phangirl of You (Ch. 2 on August 12th): ****It's a good thing I wrote this chapter in first person then! Haha.

****John Doe (Ch. 2 on August 13th): ****Thank you for the compliments!

* * *

><p><strong>Until the next chapter...<strong>

**-A.M. Williams**

**Update on June 29th, 2015. **I'm completely done making edits! Woo! Of course I haven't even brushed the surface of the editing that needs to be done to ES I. If any of you readers are interested in helping me with that, let me know in a review or PM me and I'll take a look at your Beta Reader Profile!

I'm sure all of you want to know when you can expect chapter four of this story. Well... I'm writing it right now. I lost my inspiration for this story because my co-writer and I were not on the best terms. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to come back to this story. Screw that! Of course I'm coming back for you guys. And I'm gonna do this stronger than ever. Au revoir for now, darlings.


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